COVID-19: India Offers Vaccines, Medical Supplies To African Countries

New Delhi: India offered to send COVID-19 vaccines, life-saving drugs, test kits and medical equipment to African countries on Monday to fight the COVID-19’s new Omicron variant.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated Omicron a “variant of concern” on the basis of evidence that it has several mutations.

“The government of India stands ready to support the countries affected in Africa in dealing with the Omicron variant, including by supplies of made-in-India vaccines,” the external affairs ministry was quoted as saying in a statement by Hindustan Times. It also said that supplies can be delivered via the WHO-backed COVAX facility or bilaterally.

“India also stands ready to supply essential life-saving drugs, test kits, gloves, PPE kits and medical equipment such as ventilators, as may be required,” said the statement.

Indian institutions will “favourably consider cooperation in genomic surveillance and virus characterisation related research work” with African counterparts.

According to the statement, the Indian government has cleared all orders placed so far by COVAX for supplies of the Covishield vaccine, including to African countries such as Malawi, Ethiopia, Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea and Lesotho.

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